


Beautiful Stranger

by JesusCheese



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Short & Sweet, Slice of Life, Strangers to Lovers, Wen Jun Hui | Jun-centric, Xu Ming Hao | The8-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 17:20:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22499701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesusCheese/pseuds/JesusCheese
Summary: Minghao's roommate has sex with his boyfriend way too often, effectively kicking him from the apartment. But he doesn't care- really, he doesn't. Friends want friends to be happy, and Minghao is no exception. In fact, when he meets Junhui, he finds himself wishing that Wonwoo had started screwing his boyfriend much, much sooner.
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 19
Kudos: 313





	1. Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Charm the Stars](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20255299) by [ScarlettSiren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettSiren/pseuds/ScarlettSiren). 



> Hey y'all! Kind of a fun, short 3-chapter that I did when I was between chapters on my other works! Hope you enjoy!  
> Title from Beautiful Stranger - Halsey

It was after winter break when Jun first caught sight of him- it would’ve been impossible not to with his slim legs and long black hair and fashion and dangling earrings. As Jun gazed, he caught others doing the same. In the fraction of a second that it took him to apologize to a girl he’d bumped into, he had vanished into the crowd. Just his luck.

Jun sighed, pushing his way through the crowds toward his classes with a frustrated mind. He’d have to find out who he was. He needed to.

…

Jun sees him often, now that he’s actually looking. Every time he works up the nerve to go and actually talk to him, he gets sidetracked by something- whether it be a group of girls begging for his attention or a text from his dad asking about his grades. He just doesn’t talk to the beautiful stranger.

That is, until he sees him sitting dejectedly on a concrete barrier outside of his apartment building, rubbing his hands together and scuffing his shoe against the ground. Jun takes a deep breath before approaching, knowing that this was his first real chance to talk to him. If he messed it up now, well...he'd never be able to deal with himself ever again. He'd have to drop out of college and live the rest of his life on a farm, far away from civilization.

“Decided to enjoy the weather?” Jun asked, glancing up. It was freezing and the sky was cloudy, a stark comparison to their normal nippy but clear winter days. It would storm soon.

The guy chuckled, running a hand along the back of his neck. “Something like that, I suppose.”

“It’s cold outside,” Jun worried, noting his outfit of just a sweater and jeans. “Why don’t you go to your apartment?” Great, fantastic job, Jun. Mother your love interest and tell him to go home. Moron.

“My roommate’s boyfriend,” he shrugged, kicking the ground dejectedly. “Don’t worry, they’ll be done in like an hour.”

“There’ll be a blizzard in an hour. Who’s your roommate?” Creepy, Jun. Just creepy.

“Why?” the stranger chuckled, finally looking up to meet Jun’s eyes, and oh fuck, even his eyes were perfect. “You don’t even know me.”

“I might know your roommate.," Jun shrugged. "I know almost everybody who lives here except you, evidently.”

“I don’t spend a lot of time here. Seriously, I don’t even know how Wonwoo and Mingyu can be together that often.”

Jun smiled. “Ahh, Wonwoo sexiled you?”

“You could say that.”

“Come up to my apartment,” Jun offered boldly, not quite believing himself even as he said it. He was daring, that was for sure, but he didn’t often invite strangers into his house. 

It seemed that people didn't often invite the stranger into their houses either. “You don’t know me.”

“And yet, I don’t want you to die from frostbite. I know Wonwoo, I know Mingyu, and I can get to know you...I have Chinese food.” He wiggled the plastic bag, smiling cheekily. He really didn't want to give up on him.

“You don’t need to feed me,” the boy argued, standing nonetheless and following Jun into the building. "But...a heater would be nice."

“I’m Jun,” he introduced himself, battling his feeling of euphoria in order to have a decent conversation with the stranger. “I'm a Junior.”

“Minghao,” the other drawled slowly. “Sophomore...Are you Chinese?” Jun nodded, pushing the 7 button to take them to the top floor. “When’d you come to Korea?”

“Start of highschool,” Jun responded offhandedly, distracted by the glowing button. "For my dad's job." 

“You live on the top floor?” Oh boy, here he goes.

“Mhm,” Jun nodded, smiling. “My parents own a marketing company, so...money’s not really that hard to come by.”

“Oh, so you’re like, a trust fund baby?”

“Something like that,” Jun cringed. Most people made money a conversation topic with him, but it wasn't often that they were so...blunt about it. 

“Do they pay for your apartment? Your college?”

“Yes and yes,” Jun coughed awkwardly. Every time somebody found out that he lived on the top floor, they either asked way to many questions or refused to talk to him all together. It was like they thought his wealth made him a bad guy or something. “You gonna reject my Chinese food because my apartment has more than one bedroom?”

“Not at all,” Minghao responded, easily transitioning into Mandarin with a cheeky grin. “It’ll be nice to see the life of Jun, billionaire baby and daddy’s protege.”

Jun rolled his eyes as the doors shut and the elevator carried them upward. In a way, Jun liked to be treated like he didn't matter- just any other guy. Minghao could be fun company.

…

Minghao’s reaction was expected- the wide eyes, spinning in a slow circle to take everything in, open mouth. Jun brushed past him, shaking his head and setting his belongings on the counter in his kitchen and taking out plates. It was nice to have somebody over. It surely beat the company of a tv.

“Stop gawking and come eat,” Jun called. “I’m starving.”

He stumbled over. “Jun, I feel dirty.” He had his hand placed dramatically on his chest, eyebrows high.

“What?”

“Being here, I feel unworthy. I mean...you literally have floor to ceiling windows in your living room...I live in a studio apartment with a sex maniac whos books cover the floor. Your apartment is...fantastic.”

Jun smiled, though he was hoping that Minghao would be more subtle when talking about his wealth. It always kind of made him feel separate from everybody else. “Yeah, yeah. It’s a nice apartment. Come on, it’ll get cold.”

“Sorry,” Minghao mumbled through a mouthful of noodles. “I stepped on a sore spot, huh?”

“I don’t mind,” Jun shrugged, grinning a bit at Minghao’s eagerness. “It’s just that I didn’t choose to be born to my parents. People treat me so differently.”

“There could be worse things.”

Jun nodded. “There could always be worse things.”

After they finish their meal, they chat away as they do dishes. There wasn’t much to do, so it didn’t take much time, but both of them found that conversation was easy between them. Minghao was a fashion merchandise major minoring in studio arts. He was generally soft spoken, liked to dye his hair, and his favorite season was summer.

Jun was a business major with a dance minor. He too was quiet but knew when and where to speak up- a trait forced on him by his parents. He came to Korea when his father got a job early on in his childhood. He plays piano, speaks three languages, and basically has no friends.

“Why didn’t you major in dance?” Minghao asked, leaning against the wall of Jun’s second bedroom that he’d turned into a dance studio. It was completely empty with surround sound speakers, just perfect for dancing. “You obviously like it.”

“You really think my dad would let me major in dance?”

Minghao turned to him, humming. “He’s the reason you’re majoring in business?”

“Well, it’s certainly not my passion keeping me there. It’s soul-sucking, Minghao, really,” he rolled his eyes dramatically, smiling when he made Minghao’s eyes light up, amused. “Don’t worry too much. It’s my problem, not yours.”

“Wait,” Minghao stopped him from exiting the dance studio. “One day, we’ll dance together, okay? Here, we’ll do it. You gotta teach me.”

Jun smiled, hands in his pockets. “I’d like that.”

…

Jun and Minghao start spending time together regularly after that, thankful that their classes are basically on the same schedule. On Wednesdays, Jun gets out thirty minutes later than Minghao. Every other day, practice holds Minghao at least forty minutes longer than his friend.

He had his bag slung over his shoulder as he pressed the buttons next to Jun’s door, thankful that he didn’t have to constantly knock and disrupt whatever Jun was doing. It was odd to know the code to somebody else’s home. He entered and the smell of something cooking overwhelmed his senses. He almost moaned at just the scent.

“Minghao? Is that you?”

“I’m the only one with your key code, aren’t I?” he asked, carefully kicking off his cleats in the front hall and laying them on his bag on the floor. Jun came around the corner, smiling in an apron with spatula in hand. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to shower. I’m all gross.”

“Wonwoo and Mingyu at it again?”

“Unfortunately,” Minghao chuckled. “I’ve got deodorant, though.”

“Just take a shower,” Jun objected, spatula swirling around. “By the time you’re out, dinner will be done cooking. You like stir fry, right?”

“Don’t even bother asking anymore; you know whatever you cook is going to absolutely drive me crazy. It’s like a game to you at this point. You should let me treat you something. It’s not fair that you’re always cooking.”

Jun laughed, walking further into the apartment to tend to his food. “I like cooking and I refuse to eat instant ramen...The towels are in a small closet off the bathroom. Grab one and de-stink yourself.”

“Aye aye.” He saluted weakly, sliding to the bathroom in his socks.

He’d only been in Jun’s bathroom a handful of times. There was a rectangular window high up on the wall and a shower with two heads. His towels are soft, striped royal blue and black. He’d mentioned once that they were his favorite colors. The water is just right, cascading down his body and cleaning him of the sweat and grime that came with soccer practice. Jun’s shampoo smells like him- lilac and coconut, an odd mix, but just so Jun that it made sense. His body wash was soft and bubbly and Minghao had never felt more like one of those ducks from a dawn commercial. It was nice to feel so fancy.

“You good in there?”

How long had he been in there? He turned off the shower quickly, grabbing the soft towel. “Yeah, just enjoying your body wash,” he joked, drying himself off and wrapping the towel around his waist. Shit, he hadn’t grabbed any clothes.

He picked up his practice clothes and stepped into the living room, cheeks flushed red when Jun paused, spoon halfway to his mouth. “You...holy hell, maybe I should play soccer.”

“Shut up,” Minghao rolled his eyes, going to his bag and trying to find something that didn’t smell like dirt and body odor.

“Don’t put dirty clothes on,” Jun chastised. “Gosh, who raised you? Stay here. I’ll get you some clothes.”

“I don’t want to wear your clothes, hy-”

“And I don’t want you to wear a shirt peeled out of the bottom of a locker room bag. Just return them to me later.”

Jun was back less than two minutes later, tossing him a pair of Adidas sweatpants and a red sweatshirt. He had to admit, it looked better than the alternative. “Thank you,” he smiled, slipping the clothes on in the bathroom before walking out.

“You wear my clothes better than me,” Jun complained. “It’s not fair.”

“You dress like a soccer player,” Minghao frowned at the clothes. “I need to take you shopping.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Jun smiled, sliding a plate of stir fry to him and laughing loudly as Minghao practically melted at the taste. 

He’d come to love his afternoons with Xu Minghao.


	2. I Brought Brownies

“Hey, Hao.”

“What’s up?” Minghao asked, looking away from his phone. “How was class?”

“Decent. English is kicking my ass.”

“Maybe you should get private lessons. Jun happens to be fluent.” Minghao smiled at Wonwoo, looking back at his phone when it buzzed in his hand. Jun had sent him two pictures in the mirror- an option for him to give him fashion advice. He opened the keyboard to type a response.

[Replace the second outfit’s jacket with the first’s and send a pic］-8

[ooh, asking for pictures already, are we??] -Jun

He scoffed. [-_-] -8

Jun attached the picture of the new and improved outfit. [like what you see?] -Jun

Minghao nodded. [perfect...what’s the occasion?] -8

[wanted a free stylistᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ talk to you later?] -Jun

[sure thing :) ] -8

“What’s got you smiling so hard?”

He clicked off his phone, pushing himself up with a grunt. “Nothin’.”

“That’s not a nothin’ face, Minghao. Spill.”

“I was just texting a friend. He’s fassionably incompetent.”

“Well aren’t you two just the perfect couple?” Wonwoo asked, smiling. “Hey, I’m going out with Mingyu tonight, so don’t think I’m dead.”

“Should I find someplace else to sleep?” Minghao was used to the whole deal. His only rule was that his bed was to remain untouched. Wonwoo and Mingyu could do whatever freaky stuff they wanted, so long as it remained on Wonwoo's side of the bed. He shuddered at the thought of them doing- oh god, he couldn't finish.

Wonwoo smiled apologetically. “Nah, we’re giving you the night off. Mingyu’s place tonight.”

“Poor Vernon.”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes, moving on to another topic- Minghao's social life. Besides Mingyu or school, it was one of Wonwoo's favorite things to talk about. “It’s a Friday night. Don’t you have plans?”

Minghao shrugged. “I might go over to my friend’s apartment to hang out. I dunno.”

“What about tomorrow? There’s a party that a few of Mingyu’s friends are throwing. It’d be cool if you went. Hey, I know- you could invite your friend! Maybe then you won’t be so uptight.”

“I’m not uptight,” he grumped, throwing a bouncy ball at the ceiling and catching it right before it hit his face. “I’m just...not interested in anybody.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Minghao, you’re in college. It’s the time of your life. Just think about it.”

“I’ll think about it,” he murmured, not mentioning the fact that 'thinking about it' was all that he'd been doing lately. He really, really liked Jun, but it was hard to tell just how much he did. How was he supposed to know? 

The door creaked open after a knock. “Wonu? Oh, hey Minghao.”

“Hey Gyu,” he greeted, waving to Mingyu as he collected his boyfriend. “Don’t die tonight.”

“We’ll do our best,” Wonwoo responded, grabbing his jacket on the way out. “If you’re still here by twelve, I’ll destroy your ass.”

“Won’t be my ass you’re destroying tonight,” Minghao called after them as the door closed. He sighed. Lonely Friday nights sucked. Did he want to barge into Jun’s apartment? What if the elder wanted privacy? It wasn’t like Minghao was his responsibility or anything. Seven days a week was ridiculous. He’d entertain himself for the night.

…

It was only six thirty and Minghao was already bored out of his mind, He’d texted Jun a few times asking if he was free, but he hadn’t replied. In short, he was going out of his damn mind. School was too easy. No homework, no projects, nothing to do, and nothing to keep him distracted, and Jun wouldn't pick up his goddamn phone-

“Always losing things, that boy,” Minghao rolled his eyes, dropping his own device onto his chest and sighing. Would it be rude to come in unannounced? Jun did give him the code to his lock…That’s it, Minghao was done waiting. He was going to die from loneliness. “Wen Junhui, here I come.”

He knocked first, trying to at least warn him that he was coming in. He quickly typed in the code and pushed open the door with his toe, kicking off his shoes into the normal spot by the door. “Jun! I bought brownies!”

There was a small clatter. Minghao rounded the corner and stopped, looking from Jun’s anxious face to the man, woman, and little boy sitting at his hardly-used dining table. “Oh...I didn’t know you had company.” This...this was certainly awkward.

“It’s fine,” Jun assured him. “Just...leave the brownies here and come back at ten, okay? We can hang out then.”

Oh thank god. That was an easy way out. He smiled at his best friend. “Yeah, of course. I’m sorry for-”

“Jun! Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Jun winced at the man’s yelling, face falling in disappointment. It looked like there was no getting out of it for him. “Mom, Dad, Yangyang, this is my friend Minghao. Minghao, these are my parents and my little brother.”

Minghao bowed a bit, wringing his hands. "It's nice to meet-"

“Junie, is your lock broken?” his mother asked. “How did he get in?”

“No, mama, I gave him the password because he comes over after class sometimes. I trust him.” Minghao could tell by the edge in Jun's voice that he was on edge. It wasn't often that his gentle lilting speech took on that tone. It made something uncomfortable stir in Minghao's chest.

“You let random people into your home?” his father asked, scowling at Minghao. “What if he steals something?”

“Dad!”

Minghao’s cheeks heated with embarrassment. He should've never come. “I- I really should go, hyung.”

“Junie, when a guest shows up, you have to invite them to stay for dinner. It’s a courtesy. How did we raise you? Are you that rude?”

Jun looked at the floor, biting his lip. Minghao could see that he was wearing the outfit that he’d helped him pick out earlier. This was the occasion. 

“Minghao, would you like to stay for dinner?” Jun mumbled, obviously hoping he’d say no. He didn’t want the younger to eat with his family.

And Minghao was not oblivious. “I should actually get going. I had to do something and I completely forgot-”

“We insist,” his father boomed. “Don’t be rude, boy. Sit and eat. Maybe you're at fault for newfound rude habits.” That one kind of hurt. Minghao wasn't poor, but he certainly wasn't the top of the pyramid. It wasn't fun to be constantly reminded of that.

“You boys are so skinny,” his mother worried, beckoning him over. “Come and eat. It’s Junie’s favorite.”

And so, Minghao sat, stomach squeezing painfully the entire time. The apartment was mostly silent, save for Jun’s dad’s occasional political conversation starters or complaints to his son. The younger student noticed the tension held in Jun’s shoulders, something he’d only ever seen right before his first dance review of the semester. He’d never seen the confident, carefree boy so...small, weak. He didn’t like it at all.

When the dinner was over, Minghao sat in the living room, playing some game with Yangyang and listening in as Jun's parents scolded him for whatever reason that they could find. Yangyang was a sweet boy- softspoken like Jun with a handsome, young face. Minghao found himself wondering if he resembled a younger version of Junhui. “Thank you for the dinner,” Minghao said kindly as Jun's family left his apartment nearly two hours later. It felt weird to leave before his family when been the one to barge in in the first place, and he hated the thought of leaving Jun alone with them. They seemed absolutely horrible.

“Jun?” he started in Mandarin, laying a hand on his arm. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he sighed, grabbing the plates and dropping them into the sink with a clatter. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.” His hands were white from their grip on the countertop.

“I- I tried to. I thought you’d lost your phone, so I wanted to come over and-”

“Stop, just...sorry, I can’t do this right now. I’m so tired.” He was shaking.

Minghao rubbed his arm, lowering his voice and making it as calming as he could for him. “Hey, go have a bath. Try to relax. I’ll clean this up.”

“No, I couldn’t ask you to-”

“You’re not asking, and neither am I. Go bathe and try to relax. After, we'll watch movies and relax, okay?”

Jun nodded, turned away from the sink and dropped his head onto Minghao’s shoulder, taking a deep inhale through his nose and letting it slowly out from his mouth. The younger turned into his hair, smelling his lilac shampoo and wrapped his arms around his back, rubbing slowly. He’d never been in such close proximity to his friend. Jun was warm and solid under his palms. It was nice to hold him. “I’ll take care of everything, hyung. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

Then, he was gone, disappeared into his bathroom. Minghao didn’t know what to make of the situation. Because Jun never really talked about his parents, all Minghao knew about them was that they were rich, overbearing, and somewhat suffocating. He’d never imagined that they’d reduce Jun to this state after one night with him.

He was done with the dishes by the time Jun emerged from his room, clad in Christmas pajama pants and a hoodie. “Hao?”

His heart skipped a beat at the nickname. He rushed to slip his phone into his pocket, meeting Jun’s eyes. “Ready for a movie?”

“Yeah, come here.”

Minghao's eyes widened, looking behind him into the dark room. “In your bedroom?”

“I mean, if you don’t want to, that-”

“No, it’s fine, hyung. You don’t normally let me into your room.”

“I don’t normally let anybody in my room,” he said dryly, closing the door behind Minghao and crawling into bed. The remote was laying in the middle of the massive bed. Jun gestured at it, grabbing a stray pillow and hugging it to his chest.

Minghao cautiously got onto the bed, feeling odd about invading Jun’s personal space but wanting desperately to lay down in the soft bed. The room was incredibly cozy- fairy lights against one wall casting gentle shadows. There was a glowing diffuser pumping lavender into the room and bubbling softly. Minghao got under the covers, finding Netflix and turning on a mindless romantic comedy, settling into the pillows. There was a decent distance between the two men, as the bed had to be at least a king size. Just as he thought Jun had drifted off to sleep, the elder put the pillow on the other side of him, scooting closer and laying his head on Minghao’s chest. Oh, he was clingy when he was upset. That was new.

“Do you want to talk about what happened with your parents?” he asked, reaching a hand up to play with Jun’s soft hair. It smelled even stronger. Minghao could drown himself in that smell.

Jun sighed, playing with the fabric of Minghao's shirt right over his ribcage. “They’re trying to give me an internship at their company this summer.”

The younger hummed. “And you don’t want it?”

“I don’t want it at all,” Jun spoke, voice cracking. “I hate what I’m doing with my education- with my life. I don’t want to be a rich business owner who ends up hating my kids or, or having a heart attack at forty three because of the stress, or making my son take over the company, or- or, I don't know, fucking messing up the family business, and- god, I-”

He was getting too worked up. “Hey, hey, it’s alright, Junie. You won’t ever be your parents. I barely know them and even I can see that.” Minghao tucked his hair behind his ear, running his fingers down and twirling the strands at the base of his neck. “Don’t worry too much about it, hyung. It’ll all work out. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll be the best at it.”

“They don’t think so.”

“Then their opinion doesn't matter. Just go to sleep. You don’t have to worry about it for now.”

“Minghao?”

“Yeah?”

“Stay here tonight? With me?”

“Of course.” He snuggled deeper into the soft bed, watching Jun’s head rise with every inflation of his lungs. His arm was around his waist and their legs were tangled together. Minghao had never really been with a man this closely before- fantasized about it, sure, but...the real deal was completely different. Was he gay? Was Jun?

“Not the time,” he scolded himself inside his head. He just needed to be there for Jun, and frankly, it wasn’t too much of a chore. He rather liked being there for Jun. He didn't let himself fall asleep until he was sure that Jun had, tucked under the warm covers with his ear pressed to Minghao's chest.

…

After the momentary shock of waking up in Jun’s bed, Minghao had quickly recovered to realize that the main thing missing from Jun’s bed was Jun himself. He grunted with the effort that it took to pull himself from the cocoon of blankets and entered the living room, sniffing at the sweet aroma coming from the kitchen.

“You have to stop cooking or you’ll make me fat,” he mock-complained, rounding the corner and smiling at Jun. He leaned against the wall. “I woke up alone today.”

“Don’t pout. I’m making you breakfast.” Jun was pretending that yesterday hadn't happened, and Minghao certainly wasn't okay with that.

Minghao shrugged, walking up to him when he didn’t turn to acknowledge him. “You don’t have to. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” he replied quickly, nudging the meat in the pan.

“Are you sure? You can talk to me about what happened.”

“I’ve dealt with my parents for years, MInghao. I’m fine...Just, I’m sorry I dragged you into it.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” Minghao argued gently. “I walked into your house; that’s my fault.”

“Yeah, but everything after my family left was mine. It never should've happened.”

“What, you mean sleeping with me?” Minghao chuckled. "I promise you- I don't mind." 

“I put you in an uncomfortable situation,” he shut him down seriously. “I didn’t mean to...I didn't want to. I”m sorry.”

“I was happy to stay the night, hyung. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“Still...you’ve only known me for a few months. You shouldn’t have to deal with my screwy family. Just...eat my apology meal so I can feel better about myself.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No. I want to know about your screwy family, and I want to be your- your...friend, hyung. You can trust me. After months, you should be able to do at least that.”

“I do trust you,” he snapped back, sighing. “I don’t want to throw this at you.”

He gently grabbed Jun’s wrist, turning him toward him and wrapping him up in a hug. The elder stiffened, not expecting the contact, but eventually, the tension left his body. He raised his arms to hug back, melting into the hug and sighing contentedly. Minghao took mental notes; if Jun's upset, he needs a hug. “I’m your friend. It’s my job.”

“You’re more than I could’ve hoped for, Minghao.”

“You,” he started, pulling back and smiling at him. “Have extremely low expectations.”

…

Minghao decides to attend Mingyu’s party after all. Jun insists that he has to come along to drink away his woes. Minghao laughs at his reasoning, pushing him a bit. He shouldn’t have. It was only ten on a Saturday, and Jun was drunk, slurring and waving the bottle around. He’d thrown up twice and hugged Minghao for three minutes straight, so still that the latter thought he’d fallen asleep. It would've been nice if Minghao didn't know that the elder was getting drunk to avoid his problems.

“Come on, we’re going home.”

“Whaatt?” Jun asked, dragging the word and peering into Minghao’s eyes. “Your eyes are pretty, Haohao.”

Minghao didn't smile at him, too focused on just getting him hydrated and in bed. “Thank you. Come on.”

“Minghao, wh- fuck. Oh, shit, I can’” he hiccuped, laughing when he couldn’t get his feet under him. The younger righted him, holding him by the shoulders and speaking seriously, tuning out the music blaring aroudn them. 

"You need to have self control," he bit out. "I know you're upset, but this is not how you deal with that. You're hurting yourself." Jun didn't really seem to register the intent of his words, only sighing and staring dremily at his face. They would have to have the same talk in the morning when Jun would remember it. 

Minghao crouched and pulled his hyung onto his back before heading into the night. He called out a goodbye to Mingyu and Wonwoo when he saw them, and both of them laughed at his current state. He couldn’t blame them.

It was easy to think Jun was irresponsible, seeing him with beer spilled over the front of the outfit Minghao had picked for him. To the younger, it was really just depressing to see him like this. What had he done to deserve his asshole dad?

“I’m sorry,” Jun breathed out, laying his head on the younger’s shoulder. "I fucked up, Hao. I'm sorry."

"You'll feel better in the morning," Minghao promised, thankful that Jun was light and the distance to his apartment was short. It looked like he’d be spending another night in Jun’s bed. “Might as well move in with you at this point,” he joked, mainly to himself. Jun was already half-asleep.

He hiccuped as Minghao helped him into a different pair of pants. “Do it. I’ve got space.”

“I can’t,” he replied softly. “That’s where you’re going to teach me how to dance, remember?”

He groaned. “Tomorrow?”

Minghao smiled, making him finish a cup of water. “After you kick your massive hangover, I’d love to dance.”

The elder burped. “Great.”

…

He’d chosen a modern dance for two. It was odd- Minghao had always had him pegged as a hip-hop guy, but in hindsight, he supposed it made sense. The power and grace, the sloppiness at parts but careful precision at others. Sometimes soft, other times cold and hard. It did seem very…”Jun.”

Around the end of the lesson, when both of them were panting from the exertion, a slow song came on, and Jun rushed to change it, cursing himself for not paying for Spotify premium and making sure to write that down. "You'd think having money would mean you could play whatever song you wanted," he tried to joke. It fell flat when Minghao stopped his hands.

“No,” Minghao stopped him, growing brave. He grinned. “Slow dance with me.”

Jun tilted his head. “Slow dance? Here?”

“Mhm,” Minghao nodded eagerly. “I never went to homecoming in high school. Show me how shitty little kids dance.”

“One, never compare me to a shitty little kid. Two, in my school, they just did a grinding circle and stuck their hands in each other's underwear,” Jun shrugged. “But I can be a shitty little kid for now.” He finally stepped away from the stereo system, putting his hands on Minghao’s waist while the younger set his hands lightly on his shoulders, smiling. Neither of them complained when Jun pulled them a bit closer, chests touching.

Minghao did grimace, though. “I’m sweaty.”

“You worked hard,” Jun assured him. “You picked it up much faster than I did years ago...You’re one of the most talented people I know.”

Minghao smiled, glancing down at their bare feet shuffling in sync. It was simple- almost painfully so- but there was an intimacy about it that made him feel much warmer than the intense aerobic dancing they’d been doing earlier. He could feel Jun's muscles moving under his skin, hear his breaths puffing in and out of his mouth. He shuffled closer and sighed contentedly. He’d never enjoyed a dance lesson more.

…

He pulled up his socks, adjusting his shin guards and tying his shoes tightly- perfect. Everything was perfect. He double checked his supplies- water bottle, towel, muscle roller, a wrap for his bum knee. Great. He was ready...Well, as ready as he could be.

“Got your pre-game face on already?” 

Minghao looked up and nodded at Joshua, one of their seniors. He stood and walked with him from the locker room and through the tunnel, feeling the roar of the fans in his toes. Joshua gave his hand a squeeze and smiled, walking out onto the field and waving at everybody. "My favorite part," Joshua whispered, going up to sign a little boy's jersey displaying the school's colors and logo. 

Such a people-pleaser.

Before Minghao knew it, his warm up routine turned to standing in the circle waiting for the ref’s whistle. His heart was beating wildly in anticipation as always. It was a thrill. He tipped the ball back and rocketed down the field, preparing for an incoming pass. His mind went blank as he became something different. He was no longer Xu Minghao. He was a part of a team, a gear in a machine, working in tandem with the rest of the players and playing his heart out. The game was on.

…

“Cross, cross!” he called to his teammate, pushing hard to get past his defender and into scoring position. The ball sailed a few feet to his left and bounced towards him once, twice. The defender lunged, barely missing it, and Minghao finally got his foot on it, dribbling before launching a rocket into the back of the net. The goalie didn’t have a chance.

Three long whistles. The game was over and they had won. He smiled brightly, hugging his friends and patting them on their backs. Joshua smiled at him, ruffling his hair. “Awesome shot, man.”

“Thanks,” he huffed, breathless. He wished he could drown in this feeling forever.

“Hao!” He turned around, smiling as he saw Jun trotting up to him, smiling almost as brightly as him. “Hey, I barely made it in time. How’d everything go?”

“We won,” he giggled, completely in euphoria as he hugged Jun quickly. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I would’ve done something special with my hair,” he remarked sarcastically.

“Your hair looks great. A little on the sweaty side, but…” He rolled his eyes. “Are you free later tonight?” the elder asked, transitioning to Chinese easily. It was nice to be able to talk in both languages. 

“I’ll have to do a cool down workout and get cleaned up, but after that, no. Why? Want to take me to a victory feast?”

“There is a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant that I like nearby...Best pho you’ll ever eat.”

“Enticing...It’s a date.”

He couldn’t miss Jun’s blush as he glanced down. “It’s a date.”

…

“That’s the guy Mingyu told me about?”

He glanced at Joshua in all of his top-less glory, rolling his eyes. “Mingyu’s talking about Jun?”

“Wonwoo talks to Mingyu about everything, and Mingyu talks to everybody about anything. Rumor has it he’s crushing on you.”

He scoffed, sliding on his sneakers and running a towel through his hair. “Yeah, okay...I’m not even sure he’s gay.”

“And yet, you made a date with him and had red creeping up his cheeks with just a smile...He’s head over heels. I would know. I'm head over heels for mine, too.”

“You need to spend more time with Jeonghan and Seungcheol,” Minghao advised. “Then, maybe you wouldn’t barge in on other people's relationships-”

"Relationships!!"

"Shut up, Hong Jisoo."

Joshua sighed, covering himself with a shirt and taking a seat beside Minghao. “You’re bi, right?”

Minghao scowled at the question but answered nonetheless. “I- I don't know, man. Come on, why're you patronizing me? We don’t even know that Jun’s gay though, and even if he was, it doesn’t mean that he likes me, so-”

“What do you say we find out?”

“What?”

“I’ll find somebody to hit on you tonight after your date, and you just have to smile back and act flirty. If he talks to you about it afterwards, he’s jealous and you should make a move. If he doesn’t, well...he’s a bottom or he’s not into you, but everybody knows he totally is.”

Minghao hummed. “And if I let you do this, you’ll butt out and go back to kissing on your boys?”

“I’ll be more than grateful to do so.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”


	3. Feelin' Happy

Jun was panting on the ground, sweat rolling down his temples and chest huffing dramatically. His mouth was open wide, hot hair puffing from it. Minghao grinned at him, poking his stomach and laying on his elbows, propping up his head with his palms.

“Come on, hyung, it wasn’t even that bad.”

“We just ran two miles. What the hell do you mean ‘it wasn’t that bad’?”

“At least we’re home now. One shower and a quick car ride, and we’ll be stuffing our faces full of Thai food in a nice little grandma’s homey restaurant. What do you say? Willing to get off the ground yet?”

“Fine,” he grunted, pulling himself up. “But I get first shower.”

Minghao bit his lip, choking back the proposal that they shower together because where the hell had that come from? He’d never been that guy- never with anybody. Jun hadn’t even acted romantically towards him- maybe, after all, he really was just looking for a friendship. Would Minghao ruin that?

He would figure it all out after dinner, he supposed.

…  
He laid on Jun’s bed, smiling at his friend’s closet full of outfits that he never actually wore. “Come on, hyung, seriously,” he groaned. “You’d look good in seriously any of these but all you wear are skinny jeans and jackets. Let me pick.”

“What?” Jun questioned, eyes wide. “Why would I do that? You’ll dress me up and make me look like some, some-”

“I’m gonna make you look absolutely scorching. Just you wait.”

Jun had insisted on his black jeans, and Minghao didn’t protest. He loved Jun’s black jeans- tight in all the right places. He chose those, a nice navy dress shirt, and a tan jacket that fell just right. He added a pair of dangly earrings and a nice necklace to finish it off, smiling brightly. It was perfect.

He covered Jun’s eyes, leading him to the mirror before moving his hand. “Viola!”

Jun’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, looking himself up and down. “Jesus Christ.”

“Exactly what I was going for!” Minghao cheered. “Come on, let’s go to dinner. We look like a million bucks.”

“But Hao, I feel so…”

“Scorching,” Minghao filled in for him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the door. “Come on! Thai food waits for no man.”

…

“I think I had too many noodles,” Jun groaned, clutching his stomach. “It’s all your fault. That grammy gave me extra because I looked nice, I can already tell.”

“I don’t see any reason to complain here,” Minghao chuckled, walking calmly along the sidewalk, the night crisp. He had his own jacket wrapped snugly around him but it was still a bit chilly. “I got you free noodles. It’s payback for all those times you forced food down my throat-”

“Forced food down your throat?” Jun asked, shocked. “You love my cooking!”

“Yeah, but I don’t love gaining five pounds.”

"You couldn't gain five pounds if you tried, Hao...Here, you look cold." He slid off his jacket, placing it on Minghao's shoulders and smiling. "Cute." 

"I planned out your outfit, and you ruin it all because I look cold?" Minghao teased. "What'll I do with you?"

“Excuse me?”

Minghao turned, seeing his friend Jeonghan standing next to him, smiling. “Minghao...It’s Jeonghan...from your marketing class.”

Minghao’s eyes narrowed. Jeonghan knew him. Why would he be introducing himself? He made a face and twirled his finger, and Minghao suddenly understood. This was Joshua’s plan. “Right, how’s it going Jeonghan? This is my...my friend Jun.”

Jun and Jeonghan shook hands awkwardly. After, Jeonghan stood silently, rocking a bit and feeling weird with Jun there. 

“I’m gonna duck into this building and use the restroom,” Jun excused himself, sensing the tension. His voice was tight. “Don’t go anywhere.”

They watched him leave and Minghao laughed, covering his mouth. “This is seriously Joshua’s plan? What’d he have to do to get you in on it?”

Jeonghan smirked. “I don’t think you want to know. Anyway, when your boyfriend-”

“Not my boyfriend.”

“When Jun gets out, lay your hand on my shoulder and laugh like I’ve made a joke. I’ll smile and wave before I leave. If Jun asks about me, you’re in the money. Make your move.”

Minghao sighed. “God, you and Joshua really are perfect for eachother, huh? You're both sneaky brats, I swear...He’ll be out soon. Flirt with me.”

And so, they did. Jun came out a few minutes later, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. Minghao did as instructed, getting close and brushed his hand along Jeonghan’s arm as he left, waving and giggling. He stopped giggling when Jun got close, nudging the other in a meek greeting.

Jun started walking with him again, lips pressed tightly together. He spoke in Mandarin. “What was that all about?”

“Oh nothing, he’s just a friend.”

Jun hummed. “He seems nice. Have you known him for long?”

Minghao shrugged, smiling discreetly. Jun certainly did seem interested. “Just this year and a little bit of last. He’s a sweetheart.” Jun nodded, walking silently from then on. Was he really jealous? Dear god, he totally was. “Hey, Jun, you know-”

A hand grabbed his shoulder from behind and he stopped, wondering if Joshua had planned another bit to the whole plan. He smiled at the person behind him but let it drop when he didn’t recognize him. He looked like a college student, but there was nothing that told Minghao he was a friend. He looked like trouble, and Minghao's fight or flight instinct was automatically allerted.

“Can I help you?” he asked, trying to take a step back but failing with the arm on his shoulder. He stumbled a bit, falling into Jun but still not getting away from the other man.

“I was wondering if you’d be up for some drinks?” he slurred, already a bit drunk. “You’re really pretty.”

“Thanks…but, I’m already out with somebody, and-”

“Your boyfriend can share, can’t he?” the guy asked, leaning in to plant a sloppy kiss. Minghao turned his head at the last second, grimacing when wet lips touched his cheek.

“Stop!” he protested, trying to push away but failing. Just then, another set of arms grabbed him from behind, spinning until he was facing the opposite direction. Nobody was grabbing him anymore. He whirled around to see Jun facing off with the drunk student. He didn't say anything- just stood there, a barrier between the aggressor and Minghao. The younger student didn't like it at all. The other guy was just so much bigger than Jun, and-

“You ass,” the student hissed. “Why would you go and do something like that? Now I’m gonna have to beat your-”

Jun grabbed his wrist, turning and jerking the joint until the guy was kneeling, face twisted in pain. Jun pushed up on the hold, pinning his arm behind his back and kneeling on him. “You really shouldn’t grab people,” he spat, releasing him and standing. He wrapped his arm around Minghao’s shoulders and guided him away quickly. The younger looked back to catch a glimpse of the drunk slowly pushing himself up, stumbling back into the alley he’d come from.

“Are you okay?” Jun asked once they were far enough away.

“I’m...I’m fine. What was that?”

“Hapkido,” Jun explained. “The wrist isn’t supposed to turn that way, and applying enough pressure will- it’s...it’s not important. Are you really alright?”

“Yeah, I’m totally okay,” Minghao sighed, shivering a bit. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

Jun sped up, the apartment within sight. “I don’t like to be violent. But...but I can be for people I care about.”

Minghao stopped him, grabbing his hands and planting his feet, preparing to confess. “Jun, there's something I want to tell you, and I've been waiting for you to do it, but...you're just so bad at feelings, so- well, it looks like I have to do this myself.”

“What? Hao, what are you-”

He pressed a kiss to his lips, lights bursting behind his eyelids as he floated under the streetlight. He squeezed his hands before pulling back. “I- I won’t apologize for that either, because god, I’ve been waiting to do that for like-”

“Shut up.” Jun leaned in and kissed him hard, eager for more kisses from him. Strong arms wrapped around Minghao's back, and Minghao let Jun continue. “I hope you know that I’m a hopeless romantic and you’ve fully exceeded my expectations.”

He put a hand on Jun's chest, pushing back a bit when the elder's tongue poked out at his lips. Minghao felt a bit breathless. "How about we don't do this on the sidewalk, hmm?" 

And Jun had the audacity to blush right there, smiling after Minghao had just told him that he wanted to fuck, and oh my god it was just so Jun that Minghao couldn't help smiling in return. Jun started walking to the apartment, hand still firmly clenched around the other boy's, and marching to the apartment with such vigor that Minghao struggled to keep up. This was the happiest he’d been in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking along for this mess of JunHao. I hoped you like my short, rambling, horrifically fluffy college au :)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment, if you'd like :)  
> Questions, things you liked, song recommendations, anything. Just be nice to me, I'm sensitive 🙃  
> Thanks for reading!


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